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I love it all: embroidery, canvaswork, quilting, crochet. So much to do, so little time.

Monday, July 27, 2015

Rotation Review

Hey Blog Buddies,

How has July been going for you? Hope you all have had a chance to enjoy the summer (or winter) weather.

I've been stitching, but not so much on my regular rotation lately. I do have some progress to share, though, so get ready!

First, there is Carriage House Samplings' Frederika. Here she was last month:

And here she is now:

I cropped out the little zigzag at the bottom left because I didn't like the way it looked in the photo, but I certainly didn't rip it out. It's my modest start on the border, which is a solidly stitched 12 rows all around. That's "all" I have left to go on this piece.

Next up (surprise!) is Cindy Valentine Designs' Pristine. Here's where I was last month:

And here it is now:

It was sunnier out this time! It's really hard to notice, but I filled the two remaining large border triangles with eyelets, and I completed all the cutting for the woven bars. Not counting the hemstitched border, which will be done last, all I have left to do is weave the woven bars... hundreds of woven bars. The good news is that I actually like doing woven bars, there are just so many of them.

Here is a close-up so you can maybe see the difference between the woven and non-woven bars for those of you not familiar with hardanger. The woven ones are skinnier! I estimate that as of today I have the bars on the inside of the perimeter about half done--not too bad. I finally have a little momentum going on this piece!

This is better! That other photo was difficult for even me to make out, and I know what I'm looking for! But looking at this close-up, that one section of the satin stitch looks wonky, doesn't it? And don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about! (I'll have to look into that...sigh)Last but not least, I finished Jennifer Riefenberg's Carrots. Here's where I was last month:

And here it is, all finished:

I think this piece is really cute, and I'm glad that I stitched it, but lemme tellya there was simply too much laying going on for this #5-pearl-cotton lover! The entire piece was done in cotton floss and silk floss. True, the wacky carrot tops didn't have to be laid exactly, but they had to be shaped and couched. The lighter green was DMC Memory Floss and the darker green was a slightly flat Kreinik braid--not a ribbon, two threads I had never worked with before. That was fun...

But it is hanging in my kitchen now, and I get to ogle it every time I sit down to eat!

If all this looks like a lot to you guys, keep in mind it's been over five weeks since my last rotation update!

That's it from here. Stay tuned because I have several new starts to show you. I know some of my friends are shaking their heads, but it's not like I haven't been finishing stuff, now is it?

Your work is amazing. LOVE LOVE LOVE those carrots. The framed piece looks wonderful. And Frederika turned out super. Love all the colors. I can't believe the Cindy Valentine table topper and all the work that goes into something like that. It is magnificent and will be absolutely exquisite when it is done! (as if it isn't already)!!!You are very talented and accomplish a LOT is a little amount of time. I admire your patience and stick-to-it-iveness. Love the progress reports and before and after photos!